Method of shaping and annealing glass articles



y 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet l Hop Ja e gate/2M6 y 1, 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES y 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1943 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 M y 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1943 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 awe/whom.

/QWWa y 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1943 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 y 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1943 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Menu/1 May 1, 1951 G. w. BATCHELL METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Sept. 9, 1943 y 1951 G. w. BATCHELL 2,551,311

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 May 1, 1951 G. w. BATCHELL METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING GLASS ARTICLES 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed Sept. 9, 1945 Patented May 1, 1951 METHOD OF SHAPING AND ANNEALING rass M L .Georg'e vW. Batchell, Toledo, ()hio, assignor to Toledo Engineering Company, In., Toledo, Ohio, a corporation-of Ohio I Continuation of application Serial .No. 501,632,

September 9,1943; This application August 26,

17 Claims. (01. 4944) My invention has for its object to teach a novel method of hot working and forming thermoplastic articles, such as glass bodies from glass blanks. By the use of my'inventio'n, a glass blank formed, in part, to'a desired ultimate" shapeis first heat saturated to remove internal strains and rendered pliable, secondly, the blank is "hot worked or shaped by positive matingdies' and then the resulting shaped ware is further heat treated for a required period to produce complete annealing and subsequently'to a gradual cooling thereof to retain an annealed condition the rendering of the blank" pliable and annealing of the shaped blank continuing'without interruption during the time period of blank shaping.

The invention also has for its object topr'ovide a novel method for shaping and heat treating blanks during their progressive'm'ovem'ent thereof in a production line.

The invention also consists of other features which will appear from the following description and upon examination of the drawings and as presented in the claims hereinafter appended.

This application is a continuationof the now abandoned application Serial No. 501,632 filed September 9, 1943, in the Patent .Ofiice, for an Apparatus and Method for Shaping and Tem' pering Glass Articles, which was a continuation in part of thenow abandoned application Serial No. 454,866 filed August 16, .1942, in the Patent Office, for an Apparatus and Method for Shaping and Tempering Glass Articles.

Fig. l of the drawings illustrates a side view of the leer. Fig. 2 illustrates the article receiving end of the leer. Fig. 3 illustrates the articledelivery end of the leer. I Fig. 4 is the sideviewof the glass conveying mechanism at the receiving end of the leer and a section taken on the plane of the line 44 indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 illustrates a carrier guide. Fig. 6 is a view of a section of the leer taken on the plane of the line 6-5 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a carrier and a blank mounted thereon. Fig. 8 is a side view of the transferring'andreshaping mechanism within 'the heat z'o'ne of the leer. Fig-9 is an enlarged view of a section'take'n' indicated in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the carrier supporting head of the transferring mechanism". Fig.13 is a section taken "on the plane of the line |.3- |3 indicated in'Fig. i1. Fig. 14 is a side view'of the conveying mechanism at the discharging end of the leer. Fig. 15 is a diagram of parts of the apparatus and of the electric and switch connections for producing automatic' control of parts of the apparatus.

7 The Zee r structure The leer I shown in the drawings has a frame 2. The frame comprises joined and interrelated eams 3 d p at s he am 2 supp ts aplurality of refractory blocks, in a manner well known in the art, to form atunnel 6;

The tunnel 6 comprises a bottom channel shaped part 32 extending the entire length of the leer I and a substantially fiat top part 33 supported in spacedrelation to the upper edges of the bottom part 32.- The top part 33 and the said upper edges of the bottom part 32 define a pair of slots 34 in the opposite side walls of the tunnel 6 and extending through the entire length of the leer I.

Intermediate the ends of the tunnel 6, a wall 29, formed of refractory block material, extends vertically upwardly fora short distance from the bottom ofthe tunnel 6. The wall 29 is preferably of a substantial thickness and is adapted to prevent substantial heat exchange between the airin thetunnel 6 on opposite sides of the Wall 29. The wall 29 has a fiat upper edge spaced downwardly from the line of the slots- 34 a distance sumcient to allow articles conveyed through the tunnel, in a manner hereafter to be'described, to pass o ver the wall without contact with the wall 29. The wall 29 has oppositely facing surfaces which divide the tunnel 6 into the two zones 15 and 30 and provides al v intermediate zone 3I above the top edge of the wall 29 and between said surfaces. The zonc I5 extendsfrom the inlet end of the tunnelfi to one surface of the wall 29 and the zone 30 extends from the opposite surface of the wall 29 to the outlet end of the tunnel 6. The wall 29 provides a baffle-wall which together with the surfaces of" the blanks conveyed through the tunnel B prevents circulation of air betweenthe zones and causes a current of hot air'to move upwardly, along the surface of the wall 29 facing the zone I5, into the enclosure now to be described.

Above the-zone I5 and proximate to the dis position of the wall 29 in the tunnel 6, an enclosure is formed, for housing a glass shaping mechanism to be hereinafter described. The housing has inner sidewalls I9 and outer insulating side walls 23 and a top wall II. The housing c'ommunicate's th bfigh'its' open bottom with the tunadapted to operate in a manner wall known in the art allowing distribution of heated air from the zone 30 to the outside of the leer and thus drawing COOllllg air into the outlet end of the tunnel 8 to decrease the air temperature in the zone 30.

Below the tunnel 6 is provided a lower passageway 12 which extends from one to the otherv end of the leer and provides a way through which a return carrier mechanism to be hereinafterv described may operate.

Tunnel heating means The air within the tunnel E is heated and maintained at desired temperatures by means of suitable burners 22. The burners 22 are connected by a pipe 28 to a source of supply of gas. The burners direct their flames into relatively closely positioned metal cylinders 24. The cylinders 24 are located in proximity to and extend crosswise of the bottom of the zone i of the tunnel 6 and a portion of the zone 3!? between the wall 29 and cooling portion 39 of the zone 39.

The exhaust products of combustion within the cylinders 24 are withdrawn by suitable draft pipes 25 and 21. The pipes 25 and 2'? connect the cylinders 2% with a suitable stack flue 2'6 to produce a required draft within the cylinders 24.

The heat produced within and radiated by the cylinders 22 may be adjusted individually by suitable valves controlling the supply of fuel gas to the burners 22 or by suitable valves in the exhaust line adapted to vary the stack draft from the cylinders 24, all in a manner well known in the art.

-It is my purpose that the cylinders 26 below the zone l5 of the tunnel 6, by adjustment of the fuel supply thereto, the exhaust therefrom or by both adjustments, shall give off sufficient heat to raise the temperature of the air within the tunnel 5 and enclosure housing formed by walls it to a high degree. Thus, the zone 15 may be readily referred to hereinafter as a high heat zone or a zone of high heat.

The temperature of the air in the high heat zone 15 and said housing is required to be of a degree that when glass blanks are introduced into and conveyed through the zone It portion of tunnel 6, by a conveying mechanism, to be hereinafter described, the blanks as they are brought into proximity to said housing will be subjected to a gradually increasing temperature to' establish a uniform high temperature in all portions of the glass blank enabling relaxation of all stressed parts of the blank and to render the blank pliable to shaping by a shaping mechanism disposed in said housing and hereinafter described.

The cylinders 24 in proximity to the zone 30 portion of the tunnel 6 are adjusted to produce an annealing air temperature within thezone 3t and thus said zone 38 may be referred to as the annealing zone. The operation of the louvres l0, previously described, in diluting the air within the zone 39 and particularly the portion 39.

thereof cooperate in producing the desired annealing atmosphere in a manner well known in the art.

.In the adjustment of the heat radiated by cylinders 24 in the high heat zone 15 and the an- 4 nealing zone 30 as modified by the louvres ill, it is a matter of some importance that the heat absorbed by the wall 29 dividing the zones 15 and 30 from the air in each zone shall produce, by radiation of said wall 29, an intermediate zone 3i above thetop edge of the wall 29 and between the two opposite surfaces thereof, in

which the temperature of the air decreases but only slightly as for example 5 from the temperature of the high heat zone [5, as measured progressively across the top edge of the wall 29 starting from the face of wall 29 in zone E5 to the face of said wall in zone 30. Thus, the temperatures of each zone 15 and 30 are maintained so that, with losses to the atmosphere, temperatures will prevail at the respectively adjacent ends of zones i5 and 3E! proximate to the wall having about a 5 differential in temperature.

The conveying mechanism vIn order to convey a glass blank 9 through the tunnel 6 and the zones l5, 3] and 30 thereof, a conveying mechanism comprising a pair of link a belt chains 1 is provided. The chains 1 cooperbetween two sprockets 20 and 29. Each sprocket islocated at one of the opposite ends of the leer, one of the sprockets being motor driven. The sprockets 2B and 29 of each chain 7 located at one end of the leer l are connected together by suitable counter-shafting so that the sprockets 35 of both belt chains rotate as a unit to move both chains l synchronously. The sprockets 20 and 2&1 are rotated in a direction to cause the upper catenary portions of the chains to move linearly in a direction inwardly of one end of the leer through zone l5, the intermediate zone 3! over the wall 29 and through zone 30 and portion 39 thereof to the outlet end of the leer I.

A pair of channel bars 2! is provided, each of which is supported on one of opposite sides of and exterior to the tunnel 6 extending along a line substantially coinciding with the lower edge of the slot 3e. Each channel bar, provides a track on which the upper catenary portion of each chain '1 may ride. Preferably the chain 1 has rollers 60 connected thereto which are adapted to ride in the tracks supplied by the channel bars 2|. Thus, in the rotation of the sprockets 20 and 253' the upper catenary portions of the chains 1 move continuously along the tracks on the channel bars 2| from the inlet toward the outlet of the leer and provide means for supporting the carriers 8.

. The carriers 8 are each formed to have an upper cross bar 35 whose projecting opposite ends 38 are adapted to extend through opposite slots 34 in the tunnel 6 and be engaged and supported by the upper catenary portions of the two moving chains 1. If desired, the chains 1 may have suitable yokes 36 for receiving said ends 38 and retaining the same against lateral movement relative to the chains.

Each carrier 8 has a pair of parallel side rods 31 connected to and depending from the cross bar 35. The rods 3'? are each provided with elastic blank engaging elements ii} and 4!. The elements M1 and 4! are adapted to yield and readily adjust themselves to accommodate bending of the blank 9 in the shaping mechanism,

control over the blank. The lower blank engagthe chains i.

ing elements 4i have seats 42 preferablylformed of flat pieces of refractory metal.

' Thus, it will be seen that if the'blank 9 is placed in a frame 8 and the frame placed with its ends 38 in the yokes 36 of opposite chains I, the blank 9 and frame 8 will be conveyed into the inlet end of the leer Iand through the tunnel 6 over the wall 29 and out through the discharge or outlet end of the leer.

The glass shaping mechanism In order to shape the blank 9 in the course of their movement through the leer I, I provide a glass shaping mechanism I4 in the housing formed by the walls I9 and 23 and the top wall II, previously described. The glass shaping mechanism includes a pair of die elements I! and I8 and means for operatively opening and closing them. Preferably, the element I8is held stationary in the housing well above the plane. of movement of a carrier cross bar 35 supported on Hence, in order that a blank 9 may be positioned for engagement with the die element I8, the carrier 8 and blank 9 must be lifted up from the chains I a distance that the blank and carrier are both clear of the chains 1 and the carriers and blanks supported on the chains which are sequentially approaching the station of the glass shaping mechanism. The carrier 8 and blank 9 are so moved by a transfer mechanism, hereinafter described.

The die element I1 is supported for reciprocatory opening and closing movements relative to the element I8 in suitable ways formed in pposite walls I9 of the housing enclosing the glass forming mechanism. The element I! is caused to move by cross head joined rocker arms or levers I99. Each lever I00 is pivotally mounted on one of said walls I9 in the space between said wall and wall 23. Each lever I00 is suitably connected at one end to the die element I! and at the other end through said cross head to a pivotal link. The link is pivotally connected to the piston rod of a cylinder 98 of a hydraulic motor means. Thus, as fluid is introduced into the cylinder 98 to move the piston rod outwardly with respect thereto, the die I"! will be actuated through linkage, including rocker arms I00, to close on the die element I8 shaping a blank therebetween. When the introduction of fluid to cylinder 98 is reversed, the die I'I will be actuated to move away from the die I8 allowing removalof the shaped blank.

If desired, the rocker arms I 00 may extend through slots formed in a heat insulating cover IIJI which forms a chamber between walls I9 and 23 preventing infiltration of cooling air' or exhaust of heated air from within the housing through the slots in wall I9 providing ways for guiding the reciprocation of die element I'I.

It is my purpose that the atmosphere surrounding the die elements I1 and I8 and the elements themselves shall be maintained at the highest temperature prevailing in the high heat zone I5. The temperature is such that the blank 9 is rendered pliable and amenable to pressure formation but not so high that the blank loses general character and blank shape and becomes a molten mass of indeterminate form.

The transfer mechanism- 12 of the accompanying drawingswsaid transfer mechanism I 6 isoperated by' a suitable revers- .ible'. electric motor 82 mounted on the leerframe 2. f'The motor 82 drives a pair of pinions '86 through a suitable gear train and countershaft. The pinions- 86 are each disposed in meshing relation with a rack bar 83 mounted for reciprocatory vertical movements in suitable pivotally supported straps 59 onopposite sides of the leer I. When the motor 82 receives current causing rotationthereof in one direction, the rack bars 83 are caused to move upwardly, as from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 11 of the accompanying drawings. When the motor '82 is caused to rotate in the other direction, the rack bars 83 move downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8.

Each rack bar 83 has a lug 8! at its lower end which is adapted to ride in and be guided by a slot 85 formed in portions 96 of the wall I9, in the vertical reciprocation of the rack bar 83. The lower end of the slot 85 coincides with a point on said wall I9 below the plane of movement of said carrier cross bars 35 through the tunnel 6 while supported on the chains I and spaced horizontally from the plane of the face of wall 29 marking the inner end of the zone I 5. The slot 85 extends from that lower point upwardly through a vertical extension and then inclinedlythrough a dog leg section to a point just above and in plane with the operating face of the die' element I8. The slot 85 also has a branch part I II] which connects with slot 85 at the juncture of said vertical and dog leg sections of the slot 85 and extends inclinedly downward in a direction leading the direction of lineal movement of the chains 'I.' Said downwardly inclined branch section is connected with a vertically extending section which intersects the plane of support provided the cross bars 35 by the chains I at a point spaced from and ahead of the described lower point of origin of the slot 85. Preferably, said point of intersection occurs in close proximity to the vertical plane of the face of wall 29 defining the inner terminus of Zone I 5. Said vertical branch section is connected with a section which joins the main slot 85 at said lower point of origin. This relation is best shown in Fig. 11, as further illustrated by the section of wall l9 shown in Fig. 9. A switch III which is caused to operate by weight I52 is pivotally mounted at H4 and disposed at the juncture of the vertical and dog leg sections of slot '85. The switch II I tends to divert movement into the branch slot IIIl. Thus. assuming the rack bars 83 to be in the position shown in Fig. 8 and that the motor 82 is energized to raise th-e'bars83, the lugs 81 of each rack bar will ride in main slots 35 upwardly through the vertical section, opening the switch Ii I and then into the dog leg section to the upper terminus of said dog leg section. When the motor is energized to lower the rack bars, the lugs 81 of each bar will move downwardly through the dog leg section of slot 85 engaging switch II I and be diverted into inclined section of branch slot Hi] to move through said section and then through the vertical section thereof to finally return to the starting point of slot 85.

' The rack bars 83 each have inwardly facing heads 84 best shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. The heads 84 have yoke shaped surfaces adapted to engage the ends of the extensions 38 of cross bars 35 of carriers 8. Thus, as the motor 82 is energized, in proper sequence, the heads 84 of the rack bears engage the opposite ends of exten- .tend through passageway l2 of the leer.

:sions 38 of a carrier 8 in the upward. movement downwardly and, as guided by branch slot Ht,

back to the chains l to engage the same yokes on the chains 7 as those from which the carrier was first lifted, notwithstanding the steady forward movement of the chains in the glass forming interim. Almost immediately on replacement of the carrier 8 and formed blank 9 on the chains l, the forward movement of the chains conveys the formed blank 9 into the intermediate zone 3| above the wall 29 for closely controlled chilling of 5 to fix the form imparted to the blank by the dies, without the establishment of fracture inducing strains. Thence, the carriers 8 with the formed blanks 9 move through zone 36 and through cooling portion 39 of zone 39 to the discharge or outlet end of the leer. At this point the formed blanks 9 may be removed from each carrier 8 and the carrier returned to the inlet end of the leer l by a carrier transfer and return mechanism.

The carrier transfer and return mechanism 7 The mechanism for returning the carriers it from the outlet to the inlet ends of the leer I includes a pair of return belt chains it which ex- The chains are supported between sprockets l23 and I23 located at opposite ends of the leer, the

sprockets of both chains at each end of the leer being connected by countershafts. One of said pair of sprockets is motor driven by a motor lit to move the upper catenary portions of the chains l3 in a lineal direction from the outlet end toward the inlet end of the leer l. The upper catenary portions of said chains are adapted to ride in tracks provided by channel bars I22 .mounted on the frame 2 and extending the entire length of the leer l. The chains it may have yoke parts similar to the parts 36 of chains 5' and adapted to engage the extensions 38 of the unloaded carriers 8 and convey them toward the inlet end of the leer for reloading and passage through the tunnel 6.

, In orderto transfer the carriers 8 from chains l to returning chains 13, I provide an automatically operative transfer mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 14 of the drawings. The mechanism includes a hydraulic motor means, comprising cylinder I I6 and its associated piston rod i ll, and a vertically movable frame H8. The frame MS has side rollers which ride in vertically rising guide bars ll fixed to the leer frame 2. The movement of the frame H8 is restricted by the bars 4? to movement in a plane substantially tangent to the sprockets 2d of the chains 7 at the discharge end of the leer and intersecting the lines of movement of the upper catenary portions of chains E3. The frame H8 is provided with a pair of hooks :21 adapted for engaging a cross bar 35 of a carrier. When the hydraulic motor means is operated in proper sequence, the piston Ill raises frame H8 from the position shown in Fig. 14 and causes the hooks l2l to raise under and engage a cross bar 35 of a carrier 8 as the carrier is being discharged from the chains 1 in passing over and around their respective sprockets 2t. Thereupon, the hydraulic motor is reversely operated to lower the frame H8,

drawings.

until the end extensions 38 of the carrier engage the upper. catenary, portions of the chains I3 and are conveyed toward the inlet end of the leer l. i In order to replace the carriers 8 onto the chains l following their arrival at the inlet end of the leer l on the chains 13, I provide a second transfer mechanism at the inlet end of the leer I. Said second transferm'echanism is best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawingsand includes a hydraulic motor means, comprising a cylinder 48 and its piston 5t, and a vertically reciprocable frame 44. The frame Mi has suitable rollers 45' which are adapted to ride upon vertically extending guide bars Al mounted on the leer frame 2. The bars All support the frame M fo reciprocation through a plane intersecting the path of movement of the upper catenary portions of chains l3 and tangential to the axis of rotation of the sprockets 2t atthe inlet end of the leer. The frame it has a pair of hooks 5 8 which, when the frame M is positioned in its lowermost position by the piston 5t and is caused to move upwardly by the hydraulic motor means in proper sequence, move under the cross bar 35 of a carrier 8 and. lift the carrier upwardly from the chains I3.

1 Continued movement of the frame 44 carries the carrier to and above the plane of the upper catenary portions of chains 1 and above fingers 'll of a latch means 12, best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The latch means 12 provides, in the fingers l l, a guide which is adapted to engage thecross bar 35 as the frame 4 is lowered from its uppermost position by operation of said hydraulic motor means. Said latch means i2 is pivotally mounted on the frame 2 and allows the cross bar 35 supported on the hooks 54 to pass, on the upward stroke of the frame 44, but, on the downward stroke of said frame, the latch means fingers ll engage the cross bar 35 and allow the hooks 54 to disengage therefrom. The cross bar 35 being thus freed from the hooks 54, the carrier 8 is free to slide of its own weight along fingers ll toward the chains 1. The fingers ll guide the cross bars 35 so as to locate r their ends 38 again in the yokes 36 of chains 1,

in preparation for again passing through the tunnel 6. If desired, a suitable adjustable stop 33 may be mounted on the frame 2 to limit the movement of the latch means to a desired one of the character and extent described.

Operating and control mechanism The hydraulic motors which actuate frames M and H8 and the opening and closing of die elements ll and iii are supplied with fluid under pressure from any suitable source of fluid pres- The sump of said source is connected by a return conduit 64 through which exhaust is made from said hydraulic motors.

Fluid to the hydraulic moto means of frame M including cylinder ts is delivered from conduit 52 to a suitable two-position, four-way valve 61 illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 15 of the The valve member of valve 6i when positioned in one position connects the upper end of cylinder 48 with pressure from conduit 62 and the lower end with the sump through exhaust conduit 64 to move the piston 5t and the connected frame lt downwardly. When the valve is moved to its other position, reverse con nections to and operation of the hydraulic motor means are obtained to move the frame 44 upwardly. Similarly, the two-position, four-way valve I26 controls flow to and from the cylinder N6 of the hydraulic motor means for operating frame I I8, as described.

The flow of pressure fluid to the hydraulic motor means, actuating the. movable die element F! and including the cylinder 98, is controlled by a similar two-positioned four-way valve 91. When the valve member of valve 91 is in one position, pressure fluid is introduced in the right hand end (Fig. 15) of the cylinder 98 and the 'left hand end is connected to the sump. When so positioned, the hydraulic motor means is actuated to cause the movable die element I1 to close on the die element I8 and shape a blank located between the die elements. When the valve member of valve 91 is moved to its other position, reverse connections are established and operations effected causing the die element I! to withdraw from the die element I8, allowing removal of the formed blank.

The movement of the valve members of valves 6|, 9! and I25 is effected, preferably, by electric means which are in circuits with the electric motor 82 and by their relation assure synchronous and automatic cooperation of the various mechanisms previously described. The electric circuits, both power and control, are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 15 of the accompanying drawings.

Electric power is obtained from a source of electric current fed into' the apparatus through main lines 51 and 59 from which various branch power and control lines, now to be described, extend.

The'valve member of valve 6| is moved to each of its two said positions by one of two oppositely acting solenoids 58 and I8. The solenoid 58 is at all times connected to main line 59 and is adapted to be connected to main line through a normally open switch 55. The operating arm of switch 55 is disposed adjacent the upper catenary portions of one of the chains I3 in a path to be tripped and cause closure of the switch by the passage of cross bar 35 of an empty carrier 8 being conveyed by said chains I3, as the carrier approaches the inlet end of the lever I. Closure of switch 55 energizes solenoid 58 causing the valve member of valve 9| to take a position causing frame 44 to ascend carrying a carrier 8, preceding the one actuating the switch, upwardly. The solenoid 18 is connected at all times in circuit with main line 59 and is adapted to be connected to main line 5! through line 68 and, upon closure, normally open switch 61. The operating arm of switch 6'! is disposed in the path of a dog 65 mounted on piston rod 58. Upon engagement of said dog 55 with said arm of switch 61 closing said switch, the solenoid 18 is energized to move the valve member of valve 6I to its other position reversing the flow to cylinder 48 and causing the frame 44 to descend, unloading the carrier 8 it has just raised, as heretofore described, onto the fingers II for delivery to the chains I and returning toward the chains I3 for a carrier pick-up.

outlet end of the leer toward the inlet end thereof. Closing of switch I24 and energization of" solenoid 58' causes-the valve member of valve I26 to take a position causing fluid to flow to the upper end of cylinder H6, moving frame II8 downwardly to convey a carrier 8 from chains 1 to chains I3, as described. Solenoid 18' is connected to main line 51 through normally open switch I25 whose operating arm is disposed in the path of a carrier cross bar being conveyed on the chains I toward the outlet end of the leer so as to be tripped thereby. Energization of solenoid I8 causes the valve member of valve I28 to take its other position reversing the flow of fluid to the cylinder I I6 and causing the frame H 8 to rise and receive a carrier 8 on its hooks I2 I, as described.

The disposition of the switches 55, 61, I24 and I25 alon the chains I and I3 and dog 65 on the rod 58 is such that the frames 44 and I I8 will operate with orderly sequence and speed.

The reversible electric motor means 82 has two opposite windings both of which are connected with main line 51 and one of which is connected by line 8I and the other by line I89 to main line 59. The flow of current through line 8| causes the motor 82 to rotate in a direction raising the rack bars 83 and flow through line I89 causes the motor to rotate in a direction lowering the rack bars to raise and lower the carriers 8 and blanks as described. As shown in. Fig. 15, the circuits are established by which the rack bar is en route downwardly, line I89 being connected. through normally closed switch II3, solenoid operated motor switch I8 to line 59. Line 8I is energized upon movement of the motor switch 18 to close contacts 88.

The valve member of valve 9'! controllingv the flow to the hydraulic motor means of the die element I1 is moved to one or the other of its two positions by opposite acting solenoids 4B and I82. The circuits to each solenoid 46 and I82 are completed in desired sequence through a time relay 95.

With the parts in position shown in Fig. 15, the rack bars 83 are moving down. As the rack bars approach the end of their downward movement, the head 84 of one rack bar engages an operating arm 99 of switch H3 held in normally closin position by spring 94. Engagement of arm 99 by the descending head opens switch H3 and the circuit including line I89 to the motor 82, stopping the motor. By reason of the closure of switch I83 operated by rocker arm I88 which in a position in which the die element I1 is spaced from the element I8 time relay I84 is connected in circuit which connects the solenoid of switch I85 in circuit and causes closure of switch I 85. The closing of switch I85 completes a circuit through solenoid I88 of solenoid operated motor switch I8. In the meantime, flow from time relay I21 through opposed solenoid 'I'I of the motor switch 18 has discontinued allowing solenoid I88 to shift the switch element of motor switch- 18 to close contacts 88. As before stated, closure of contacts 88 completes a circuit to the motor 82 through line BI and causes the motor to rotate in a direction raising the rack bars 83. As the bars raise, switch H3 is closed-with no effect on the circuits.

The rack bars continue to rise until head 84 engages the operating arm 99' of switch 89. The arm 99' is normally held by spring 94 in a position in which the switch 89 operated thereby closes across contacts 98 connecting. line 51 to the time relay I21 by way of .line 9|. Engagement of said arm 99' by the head 84 moves switch 89 to "close across contacts 88 closing a circuit through the solenoid 92 of switch 93 to close the same and establish a circuit to and through time relay 95. Solenoid 45 of valve 91 is then brought into energization, moving the valve member of of fluid to cylinder 98, the circuit through switch I03 is opened and time relay I04 is cut from circuit allowing normally open switch I05 to open and deenergizing coil I98 of motor switch 18 allowing motor switch 18 to Open circuit of line 8| and stop the motor 92. In the meantime, die element l1 has been closed and solenoid I02 energized causing reverse flow to cylinder 98 to open the dies [1 and I8.

At that time normally open switch is actuated by its arm 69 which is adapted to be periodically engaged by rollers 60 on the upper catenary portions of a chain 1. nects time relay I21 in circuit through line 16 causing current to flow through solenoid 11 actuating the now released motor switch element 18 to close contacts 19 and close a circuit through switch 3 and line I09 through the motor 82 to opening the circuit of coil 92 and allowing switch 93 to open circuit of time relay 95. At the same Closure of switch 15 contime switch element closes across contacts 90,

The operation Much of the operation of the apparatus and the method performed thereby has been made apparent by the foregoing description of the mechanisms and their controls. A brief and summary review will serve, however, to produce a more related picture of the overall functioning of the apparatus.

The glass blanks 9 are each placed in-a carrier 8. Each carrier 8, with its blank 9, is then placed in successive relation on the moving upper catenary portions of chains 1 to be suspended therebetween from the respective cross bar of each carrier. The carriers 8 and blanks 9 enter the inlet end of the tunnel 6 in transversing relation to the major longitudinal axis thereof. The tunnel dimension, in width, is referably, but slightly greater than the space between the'rods 31 of the carrier 8 and the dimension of the blank 9 supported therebetween, and only large enough to allow clearance for movement of the carriers and blanks without contact with the tunnel side walls. Thus, the suspended blanks 9 form a plurality of suspended and slowly moving baffles in the tunnel, as the blanks are moved therethrough. The moving blanks 9 also cooperate with the heating element to induce an upwardly moving current of hot air across the face of wall 29 most proximate to the inlet. 1

The valves controlling flow of fuel to the burners 22 and the valves controlling the exhaust from the cylinders 24 are individually-adjusted so as to cause the cylinders, immediately adjacent the inlet end and the successive'neighboring cylinders between the wall 29 and th inlet of the leer I, to radiate a gradually increasing amount of heat. Said adjustments are such that the temperature of the air within the tunnel is increased from atmosphere temperature at the inlet end to a temperature in the space adjacent the face of wall 29 most proximate to said inlet end of the leer, at which the glass blanks 9, al though rendered pliable still maintain blank shape and character. This temperature in certain glass is one approximating 1120 F. Thus, the air in the housing in which the glass shaping mechanism I4 is disposed will be at or close to said temperature, not only by reason of the heat radiation, but also by reason of the conveyed heat from the current of upwardly moving hot air across the face of the wall 29. The die elements l1 and is which are adapted to engage and shape the glass will be saturated with heat and be maintained at or near said temperature.-

The lineal speed of the chains 1 is such that,- as the blanks 9 are conveyedfrom the inlet end of leer I to the point of engagement of their respective carriers by the transfer mechanism It, the time period of exposure to the air of gradually increasing temperature prevailing in highheat zone 15 of the tunnel 6 is sufiicient to re lax all parts of the blank and saturate the blank with heat, rendering the blank uniformly pliable,

On arrival at the station for engagement of the respective carrier 8 by the transfer mechanism IS, the. heads 84 of rack bars 83'engage the ends 38 of the carrier cross bar 35 and lift them from the yokes 36- on chains 1, in which they have been supported and resting. The carrier 8v and now pliable blank are conveyed upwardly, out of the moving conveyed line of following. and preceding carriers, and blanks, to be placed so that the blank 9 is against the forming face of the die element l8 and the carrier parts 35, 31, 40, 4|, and 42 enframe said face. The movable die element 11, whose actuation is initiated at the arrival of the blank 9 against the face of die element 18, then approaches, presses the blank to form and withdraws. The transfer mechanism motor 82 is then energized to cause lowering of the rack bars, as guided by the slots 85, the slot switch Ill and the branch slot H0. In response to the guiding action of the parts just mentioned, the heads 84 of the rack bars move downwardly in a different path than that followed in the upward movement, namely, one which intersects the line of extension 0f the chains at a point ahead of the place of removal of the carrier from the chains 1. Said point preferably coincides with that at which the yokes 36 of the chains 1 from which the carrier was lifted have just arrived in the lineal movement of the chains during the interim of blank transfer and shaping. Thus, the carrier is restored to its initial position relative to the chains 1 and following and preceding carriers and blanks, after shaping.

The shaped blank 9 has, by reason of its shaping, less inherent resistance to gravity induced distortion than the unshaped blank. Thus, if the formed blank is long maintained in the high heat of zone 15, the shaped blank will sag and become disformed. It is, therefore, of importance that the point at which the blank is returned to' the chains 1 be so related to face of wall 29 determiai e t e end of z ne 15 that the blank receives and is exposed momentarily-to the upwardly moving draft of hot air adjacent said face of the wall to compensate. for the slight chilling produced in contact with the faces of the die elements I? and i8 and then that the blank be immediately moved from the high heat zone l to an intermediately cooler zone it above the top edge of the wall 29. In the intermediate zone, there occurs a controlled form-fixing chilling of the formed glass blank, without producing fracture inducing strains. .Good 'results'have been obtained with a temperature drop throughzone 3| of 5 F.

It will be observed that theformed blankin its relation to the wall 29 and tunnel fi-forms an effective baffle wall in the tunnel between zones 15, 3| and 30 which prevents movement of air from zones 30 to 3! or from zone 3| to zone l5.

As the formed blankemerges from zone 31 into the annealing zone 30, it is exposed to temperatures of lesser order than those prevailing in zone 15. Preferably, the adjustment of the burner valves and exhaust valves of the cylinders 24 in the zone 30 is made to produce, with the setting of the louvres H), a degressively lower temperature in the tunnel 6 approaching the outlet end of the leer I. In the specific example cited, the temperature adjacent the face of wall 29 most proximate to the outlet end of the leer is of the order of approximately 1115 F. The temperature at the outlet is such that the glass blank 9 may be readily handled in the atmosphere without danger.

The operation of the carrier return and transferring mechanism then automatically proceeds and a new cycle initiated.

While I have illustrated and described the best form of my invention now known to me, as required by the statutes, those skilled in the art will readily understand that changes may be made in the disclosed construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of shaping and annealing a plurality of glass blanks in individual continuous succession which comprises the steps of moving said plurality of blanks in one direction alon a line through successively separate heating and annealing atmospheres, withdrawing one of said plurality of blanks from said line while said plurality of blanks are continued in their said movement, pressure shaping said withdrawn blank while said plurality of blanks are continued in their said movement, moving said shaped blank parallel to said line and in the direction of and while said plurality of blanks are continued in their said movement and placing said blank in said line in immediate neighboring relation to the blanks of said plurality of blanks with which said placed blank immediately neighbored at the time of withdrawal from said line.

2. The method of shaping and annealing a plurality of glass blanks as claimed in claim 1 in which the step of withdrawing the blank occurs while the blank is in the heating atmosphere and the step of placing said blank occurs proximate to the juncture of the heating and annealing atmosphere.

3. A method of shaping and annealin glass blanks which comprises the steps of placing a plurality of blanks in a substantially lineal order of sequence; moving the plurality of blanks in succession and while maintaining the substantially lineal order of sequence in and along, a lineally extending zone of gradually increasing temperature to render the blanks pliable; removing each blank successively from the substantially lineal order of sequence of blanks at a point in thezone at which the temperatureis less than themaximum temperature to which the zone increases, shaping the removed blank, returning the shaped blank to the same position in the substantially lineal order of sequence of blanks from which the blank was removed and at a point in the zone at which the temperature is greater than the temperature at the removal point; and moving the returned blanks in succession and while maintaining the substantially lineal order of sequence from said zone and into and along an adjoining lineally extending zone of gradually decreasing temperature to anneal the shaped blank, the steps of removing, shaping and returning each blank being eirected while the remaining blanks are being moved in and between the mentioned zones whereby the flow of blanks in the zones to first render the blanks pliable and thereafter annealed proceeds at the same time as blank shaping is efiected and the order of blanks in the zones is maintained.

4. A method of shaping and annealing glass blanks as claimed in claim 3 including the additional steps of moving the removed blank along one path prior to shaping and moving the shaped blank along another path following shaping and during return, the origin point of the first named path being spaced from the terminal point of the other path a distance equal to that through which the other blanks are moved during the removal, shaping and return of the blank.

5. A method of shaping and annealing glass blanks as claimed in claim 4 in which the moving of the removed blank along one path is efiected in an upward direction relative to the other blanks and the moving of the shaped blank along the other path is efiected in a downward direc tion relative to the other blanks.

6. A method of shaping and annealing glass blanks which comprises the steps of placing a plurality of blanks in an order of spaced sequence along a substantially horizontally extending line, a projection of which passes through adjoining separate progressively heating and annealing atmospheres; continuously moving the plurality of blanks in succession and while maintaining said order of spaced sequence along said line and through the heating atmosphere to progressively render the blanks pliable without loss of resistance to gravity induced deformation thereof; periodically moving the then leadmost blank of said plurality of blanks in an upward direction from said line along a path substantial- 1y normal thereto and originating at a point on the line and in the heating atmosphere where the temperature is less than the maximum temperature of the heating atmosphere; then bringing the last named blank to rest at a point remote from said line and in the heating atmosphere where the temperature is greater than the last named temperature; then engaging the last named blank while at rest to pressure shape the blank; then moving the last named blank in a downward direction and in part at least through another path having portions extending toward another point in the heating atmosphere and on said line and spaced from the originating point of the first named path a distance equal to that through which the other blanks moved during the mentioned upward movement, rest, en-

of spaced sequence relative to preceding blanks that the blank and preceding blanks occupied be- 'fore removal from said line; and continuously moving the delivered blanks from the heating atmosphere and into and through the annealing atmosphere whereby blank heating preparatory to shaping and annealing subsequent to shaping may progress as individual blanks are moved toward the place of shaping, are shaped and returned from the place of shaping.

7. A method of shaping and annealing a plurality of glass blanks which comprises the steps of moving the plurality of glass blanks along a line through adjoining heating and annealing zones; successively withdrawing each glass blank of the plurality of glass blanks from the line of moving glass blanks; engaging opposite sides of each withdrawn glass blank, shaping said blank and disengaging the opposite sides of said blank while the. other glass blanks of the plurality of glass blanks are continued in their movement; and replacing each withdrawn glass blank in the line of moving glass blanks.

GEORGE W. BATCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,125,468 Carnahan Jan. 19, 1915 1,259,459 Stile Mar. 15, 1918 2,057,763 Boyles et a1 Oct. 20, 1936 2,131,873 Goodwillie Oct, 4, 1938 2,176,999 Miller Oct. 24, 1939 2,251,159 Owen July 29, 1941 2,370,575 Owen Feb. 27, 1945 2,377,849 Binkert et al June 12, 1945 

